Refuse container and lid cleaner

ABSTRACT

A refuse truck having integral therewith a refuse container and lid cleaner. The truck contains openings in one of the side portions thereof to provide access to the cleaners. The container cleaner includes an L-shaped brush provided with specific mounting and water supply connecting means. The shape of the brush permits the effective cleaning of the entire inside of the container.

United States Patent Inventor Rocco F. Di 1110 708 Worthington Drive, Warmlnster, Pa. 18974 Appl. No. 856,949 Filed Sept. 11, 1969 Patented Sept. 14, 1971 REFUSE CONTAINER AND LID CLEANER 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

Int. Cl A47l 25/00 Field of Search 15/56, 57,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,207,166 9/1965 Wintzer 134/115 R 3,212,511 10/1965 Cuillier 134/152 X Primary Examiner-Edward L. Roberts AttorneyPaul Maleson PATENTED SEP 1 4 am INVENTOR.

Rocco F.DI..1lio

ATTORNEY lv 0 w 1 l l 3 m H 6 a R L 3 m u mu 5 b w m v w c O W R .|l n F L 2H 7 RESERVOI REFUSE CONTAINER AND LID CLEANER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates to the can-cleaning art, and in particular relates to the application of cleaning the interiors of containers. More particularly, it relates to a refuse truck having means therein to clean the containers previously containing refuse and their lids immediately upon emptying same into said refuse truck.

2. Description of the Prior Art In the past, U.S. Pats. such as those to Di-Ilio, No. 3,264,675, Faust, No. 3,203,437 and Velk, No. 3,104,407 taught the cleaning of containers by either bringing the container to be cleaned to the device as in Faust, No. 3,203,437 or taking the cleaning device to the dirty containers as in Dillio, No. 3,264,675 and Velk No. 3,104,407. These patents if anything, teach a duplication of effort or, at a minimum, a method of cleaning dirty containers. None of these patents provide a quick, effective means for cleaning the entire inside of a container and its lid at the precise moment after same is emptied of its refuse.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a refuse truck, including means to clean the refuse container and lid immediately after emptying.

Another object is the provision of container and lid cleaner integral with a refuse truck which includes an L-shaped brush provided with mounting and water supply connecting means.

The above objects as well as others together with the benefits and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon reference to the detailed description set forth below, particularly when taken in conjunction with the drawings annexed hereto in which like reference numerals refer to like parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side view of the refuse truck with its integral container and lid cleaner illustrated,

FIG. 2a illustrates a partly cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the container cleaner;

FIG. 2b illustrates a partly cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the container cleaner;

FIG. 3 is a partly cross-sectional, fragmented view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2a;

FIG. 4 is a partly cross-sectional fragmented view of a detail of the invention;

FIG. 5 represents a schematic diagram of the cleaning supply source of the invention;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The refuse truck of the invention is generally designated in FIG. I by numeral 10. Side panel 11 of truck provides access to cleaner assembly 20. The cleaner assembly 20 includes a housing 12 having a flange 120 which is mounted flush with side panel 11. The assembly 20 is further provided with a bearing 12b at its closed end for providing ingress for the cleansing liquid and an outlet 12c for providing egress for said cleansing liquid. A pivotable plate 14 having hinge 15 is attached to side panel 11 above the opening therein and provides means to secure the container within the assembly 20. A fixed rod 16 is fitted with an adapter 17 to achieve that end. A magnet 18 is provided on the side panel 11 for holding the plate 14 in its open position, as shown in the dotted lines for FIG. 2a.

The adapter 17, as seen in FIG. 2a also prevents rotation of the container so that the cleaning action is accomplished by the brush moving around the interior portion of the container. Movement of the brush is accomplished by a conventional motor, not shown, which operates in conjunction with a drive shaft 37. The embodiment of FIG. 2b is similar to that of FIG. 2a except the cleaning action is accomplished by having the container rotate about the fixed brush. The pivotable plate 14a See FIG. 2b, has, at its nonpivotable end, a motor I9 which is secured to adapter 17a by way of shaft 19a provides the rotation of the container. FIG. 3 illustrates the liquid inlet assembly 30 adjacent bearing 12b, in the embodiment of FIG. 2a, which includes a housing 32 having therein a slot 32a which permits assembly of the unit 30. A bearing 33 is provided within housing 32 and a liquid inlet pipe 34 having at its lowermost portion a liquid distributor 34a. A pair of O-rings 35 and 36 are provided between bearing 33 and pipe 34 and surround drive shaft 37 which passes through a slot in the wall of housing 32. Drive shaft 37 is provided with a hollow portion 37a having aperture 37b to allow liquid to enter the hollow 37a.

Adjacent the bearing 12b on the opposite side from assembly 30 is a filter basket 40 having apertures 42 therein.

The brush assembly 50 includes a hollow pipe 51, see FIG. 4, having spray apertures 51b at the end thereof, including a centering aperture 510. These apertures direct the flow of liquid into the container being cleaned, and into brush 52. Brush 52 has a brace 53 secured to the brush and the pipe 51 for support. A coupling 55 is utilized on one end of pipe 51 to secure to one end of shaft 37 in FIG. 2a. In FIG. 2b a pipe 51a is secured to coupling 55.

The container being cleaned is illustrated generally by numeral 60 and has a lug 62 thereon for attachment to, either adapter 17 of FIG. 2a or adapter 17a of FIG. 2b. Referring now to FIG. 5, a reservoir 70 containing detergent liquid is provided. A pump 71 draws the liquid out of the reservoir and into both the container well 20 and the lid well 22. The liquid then passes through filter 72 and back into reservoir 70. The lid well 22 contains a sprayer 23 therein to spray the liquid upon the lid. A brushing action to the lid is not necessary since it does not become as dirty as the container. In operation, after the refuse is emptied into the main body of the truck, the operator places the dirty container into the cleaner assembly. He then disengages the pivotable plate from its magnet and secures the adapter thereon to the lug on the bottom of the container. He then places the container lid into the lid well and proceeds to start the motor which begins the cleaning action. When the container and lid are cleaned, the operator swings open the pivotable plate and reengages it to the magnet. He then removes the container and lid and begins the entire operation over again with the next container which he has been emptying while the first container has been being cleaned.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Iclaim: I

I. A refuse container and lid cleaner integral with a refusecollecting truck including:

a cleaner assembly secured within a side panel of said truck,

brush means secured within said cleaner assembly,

means for suspension of a container in said cleaner assembly in juxtaposition with said brush means, and

means for supplying cleansing liquid to said container for cleansing thereof. 1

2. A cleaner of the type described in claim I wherein said cleaner assembly includes a housing having a closed end and an open end,

bearing means in said closed end for providing ingress of said cleansing liquid,

outlet means in said closed end for providing egress of said cleansing liquid.

3. A cleaner of the type described in claim 1 wherein said brush means includes an L-shaped brush having an inner end and an outer end,

a hollow pipe having an inner end and an outer end integral with said L-shaped brush and having a plurality of apertures at its outer end for directing the cleansing liquid into said container.

4. A cleaner of the type described in claim 2 wherein said means for suspension of said container includes a plate pivotably mounted on said truck side panel adjacent to said open end.

5. A cleaner of the type described in claim 4 including means on said plate to engage said container and provide rotary motion thereto.

6. A cleaner of the type described in claim 4 including means on said plate to engage said container and prevent same from rotating.

7. A cleaner of the type described in claim 1 wherein said means for supplying cleansing liquid includes a reservoir containing said cleansing liquid,

a pump adjacent to said reservoir for forcing said cleansing liquid into said container,

8. A cleaner of the type described in claim 7 including a supply pipe connected to said pump at one end and passing through said bearing, and a coupling securing said pipe to said brush. 9. A cleaner of the type described in claim 7 including an inlet assembly adjacent to said bearing comprising a pair of bearings, an inlet pipe extending between said bearings, a hollow drive shaft passing perpendicularly through said bearings and in cooperation with said inlet pipe, and a pair of O-rings located around said drive shaft and between said bearings and said inlet tube. 10. A cleaner of the type described in claim 7 including a filter basket adjacent to said bearing and having a plurality of apertures therein. 

1. A refuse container and lid cleaner integral with a refusecollecting truck including: a cleaner assembly secured within a side panel of said truck, brush means secured within said cleaner assembly, means for suspension of a container in said cleaner assembly in juxtaposition with said brush means, and means for supplying Cleansing liquid to said container for cleansing thereof.
 2. A cleaner of the type described in claim 1 wherein said cleaner assembly includes a housing having a closed end and an open end, bearing means in said closed end for providing ingress of said cleansing liquid, outlet means in said closed end for providing egress of said cleansing liquid.
 3. A cleaner of the type described in claim 1 wherein said brush means includes an L-shaped brush having an inner end and an outer end, a hollow pipe having an inner end and an outer end integral with said L-shaped brush and having a plurality of apertures at its outer end for directing the cleansing liquid into said container.
 4. A cleaner of the type described in claim 2 wherein said means for suspension of said container includes a plate pivotably mounted on said truck side panel adjacent to said open end.
 5. A cleaner of the type described in claim 4 including means on said plate to engage said container and provide rotary motion thereto.
 6. A cleaner of the type described in claim 4 including means on said plate to engage said container and prevent same from rotating.
 7. A cleaner of the type described in claim 1 wherein said means for supplying cleansing liquid includes a reservoir containing said cleansing liquid, a pump adjacent to said reservoir for forcing said cleansing liquid into said container,
 8. A cleaner of the type described in claim 7 including a supply pipe connected to said pump at one end and passing through said bearing, and a coupling securing said pipe to said brush.
 9. A cleaner of the type described in claim 7 including an inlet assembly adjacent to said bearing comprising a pair of bearings, an inlet pipe extending between said bearings, a hollow drive shaft passing perpendicularly through said bearings and in cooperation with said inlet pipe, and a pair of O-rings located around said drive shaft and between said bearings and said inlet tube.
 10. A cleaner of the type described in claim 7 including a filter basket adjacent to said bearing and having a plurality of apertures therein. 